Economic conditions threaten the “Eid feast” and the solution is a participatory table

Eid al-Adha comes this year amid major economic crises in the global economy, which has not yet recovered from the repercussions of the Corona pandemic, and is also facing the consequences of the Russian war on Ukraine.

With the unprecedented rise in prices and the desire to preserve the customs of the feast and family gatherings at the lunch table that includes many delicious dishes, the adoption of compromise becomes necessary and inevitable.

“Sharing tables” may become a haven during this holiday so that one family does not bear the costs of inviting the rest of the family or friends to a feast, but planning and organization remains critical so that homes celebrate the holiday without economic pressure and without repeating items and wasting food.

Evolution of the idea of ​​the participatory table

In the Middle Ages until the 15th century CE, there was a term in circulation known as "potluck" to describe an impromptu meal of food served to unexpected guests or travelers.

After that, the matter developed and called “potlac” for a group meal consisting of one large bowl in which each invitee puts a specific item that he brings with him and that everyone eats, according to the Food Service News website.

In the thirties of the last century, specifically during the period of the Great Depression, the need to share a table emerged due to the bad economic conditions, so the person invited to a banquet brought a plate of food with him, and it was called “the covered dish dinner” or “a plate for the corridor”, and the matter was related to gatherings. Religious faith in churches in the United States of America as a kind of participation and feeding the poorest.

As for the modern use of "potlac" - which is euphemistically called a "dish party" - it is referred to as a gathering of food, where each person brings a random plate of home-cooked food and everyone shares different items, and it is used in gatherings of friends. and co-workers, and it has even become the safest option during the Corona pandemic period with the closure of restaurants.

At the sharing table, the high cost of food is shared by the invitees, and no single house bears the cost and preparation (pixels)

How to organize "shared tables"

The coincidence of the celebration of Eid al-Adha and the bad economic conditions makes the organization of participatory tables a positive matter, as the invitees share the high costs of food, and one house does not bear the burden of preparation and costs alone.

However, there are rules for organizing the participatory tables that the invitee must take into account so that the event goes smoothly without incidents or complications:

• Planning ahead makes the dinner party easier. Make accurate lists and give yourself plenty of time for each task. This will reduce clutter and help you address gaps that arise.

• Determine the list of your guests, and do not forget to count the number of children, and communicate through a group chat with all the invitees so that it is easy to ask questions, determine the types of food and know the extent to which a person accepts or rejects a particular food.

• Choose your menu, decide how many main dishes, how many sides, how many desserts you need, and the items that everyone agrees on.

  
  

  Decide how to organize the food on the table, it may be good and logical to put most of the items on the same table (pixels)

• Discuss with the invitees about scheduling tasks and dates: Who will cook this?

  When should they arrive?

  Does anyone have special nutritional needs?

• Tell the people who will not bring dishes what they should bring, there are some people who are not good at cooking, you can coordinate other things with them such as bringing ready-made types of sweets or drinks.

• Decide how to organize the food on the table, it may be good and logical to put most of the items on the same table.

• You can divide the dishes on tables designated for hot and cold foods or starters and main dishes.

• Do not forget to check the quantities of plates, cups, napkins, and utensils. For large gatherings, it is preferable to bring disposable plates, utensils, and cups, as this will be easier.

• You should also make sure you have enough trash bags to use after the party.

• Control the leftovers, and if there is a large amount of food leftovers that can be divided between friends and family, each person chooses what he wants, and first make sure that the food is safe by not staying outside the refrigerator for more than two hours.

• Keep the food in a container with a tight lid to fill the leftovers in the fridge, you can eat it the next day or make a new dish from it, and the step of distributing the leftovers to the invitees contributes to reducing the percentage of food waste that characterizes the occasions.